Mission Report: The Big E Parade

This past weekend, I trooped with the Connecticut Garrison in Springfield MA for the Big E (Eastern State Exposition) Parade. I found out about it earlier in the week and figured it would be a fun troop, as it’s a fairly easy drive down the highway. In total, there was around 15 troopers total, mostly white armor (which was a really fun aspect). We gathered at 4:30 or so at the parade start and marched through the fairgrounds.

This isn’t going to rate as one of my better troops, because of the rain – this was my first wet-weather troop, and I was soaked right afterwards. I had a number of equipment problems – snaps coming off, no duct tape and my lenses were fogged most of the walk, which made seeing things almost impossible. Still, it was fun to see kids so excited to see us, even a small kid dressed up as a trooper, who got his picture taken with us at the end.

This troop illustrated that I really need to overhaul my armor again. After using GOOP with my Clone Armor, I’m thinking that I’m going to re-do all the seams with the stuff on my TK, because it’s more flexible, doesn’t expand and leave a yellowish color where it’s stuck. Snaps need to be completely re-glued with it as well, because I’m tired of replacing them every troop. After that, I need to find some way to get my speaker affixed to my backplate in a way that doesn’t require tape.

Pictures here.

Mission Report: ConnectiCon

I realized, when I added up the completed troops page, that I didn’t write up anything for this.

Back on August 2nd, I had purchased tickets for a concert down in Hartford CT. My brother lives down there, so going down for a couple days wasn’t a problem. While I was looking around at what other garrisons were up to, I saw that the Connecticut Garrison was attending the event that day, and I figured it would be fun to troop with another garrison for a little while. A couple e-mails later, and I was welcomed down there.

I’m not a convention person, at all. This Con was an anime con, and as such, I wasn’t really having the time of my life. (Also not an anime person). The CTG had set up a booth in the lobby, and the various troopers who were there stayed in that area for the time that I was there.

What was fun about this outing was meeting the Connecticut troopers, some of whom I’d met before at other events, others online, via facebook or the Legion forums. They were very happy to have troopers there, and I felt right at home. A couple other members of the New England Garrison were present as rebels, and Ashley from Carida also turned up.

Our main event that we helped out with was a presentation of a lightsaber to a winner of a game tornamenet, which was very poorly planned, and that left us standing around for almost 40 minutes with nothing to do, until we went up on stage (where the organizer hadn’t explained the layout of the stage, making us look like idiots.) We weren’t happy, and afterwards, we stripped out of armor and headed off site to one of the CTG member’s houses for food and drinks, where we had a couple other NEG members arrive – overall, it was a fun time.

Mother And Daughter Keep The Show Going On

This in from the Connecticut Garrison:

Mother And Daughter Keep The Show Going On

Rays from the star power at Hartford Stage were all over the place Wednesday, thanks to the combined forces of Carrie Fisher; her mother, Debbie Reynolds; and a group of die-hard ” Star Wars” fans still madly in love with Fisher’s “Star Wars” character, Princess Leia.

The opening-night theater-goers for Fisher’s one-woman show “Wishful Drinking” were first greeted by a host of “Star Wars” characters, all Connecticut members of the 501st Garrison, a “Star Wars” club.

“May the force be with you” was the chant as arriving audience members and the costumed “Star Wars” fans exchanged greetings and posed for pictures with each other.

“Princess Leia, that will always be Carrie Fisher,” said Jane Anderson of Granby, who stopped on Church Street to take a picture of the scene.

The force got bigger and better inside. Sitting a few rows back from the floor seats was Reynolds, very stylish and fit at 76, with a sophisticated black suit and smoked glasses. And very much ready for action, it turns out. When a sound-system problem delayed the show, Reynolds sprang up onto the stage with her daughter and started tap-dancing — showing she still had the skills she displayed with Gene Kelly in “Singin’ in the Rain.”

“It doesn’t embarrass me at all,” she said of her daughter’s show, a less-than-polite look at the Fisher-Reynolds family life, which includes vignettes about Fisher’s father and Reynolds’ former husband, Eddie Fisher, who made gossip headlines when he left Reynolds to marry Elizabeth Taylor in 1959. And then, of course, there was all that collective family dirt that included celebs like Connie Stevens, Paul Simon, Bryan Lourd and Harry Karl.

“”I am so proud of her. I’ve seen the show five times, and I laugh during it every time,” said Reynolds, who chatted with fans, signed autographs and posed for pictures during intermission.

“Just tell me when you are going to snap it. I’ll make sure I’m looking at the camera ,” the still-cute and still-blond actress reminded the amateur paparazzi crowding around her.

The mom-and-daughter pair shared the stage again at the end of the show and opted out of an opening-night party at Dulce, instead heading back to Hartford 21, where they were staying.

But even after they were long gone, the star power remained.

“I just can’t believe Debbie Reynolds is 76 years old,” said Margaret Washington, who, with friends from Simsbury, stopped at Dish for dessert and a drink after the show. “She looks fabulous.”

Source

501st Caught on Camera

Here’s some of the pictures from this past week from Flickr:

Stamford Symphony’s music heads ‘out-of-this-world’

This article popped up from the Stamford Times, featuring the Connecticut Garrison:

Stamford Symphony’s music heads ‘out-of-this-world’

STAMFORD — The Stamford Symphony will perform “out-of-this-world music” at a free pops concert conducted by Maestro Eckart Preu in downtown Stamford on Wednesday, July 16 at 6:30 p.m.

“Pops in Outer Space” will be performed on the Heineken Stage at Columbus Park.

Presented by Seaboard Properties and HSBC, the concert is produced by Stamford Downtown Special Services District and the City of Stamford.

The symphony’s music will fly with Superman, cross “Moon River,” and travel the universe with light-hearted music from “Star Wars.”

Returning to earth, they’ll also play lively works by Scott Joplin, John Philip Sousa, along with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

Attendees can also take pictures with characters from “Star Wars,” with members of the “501st Regiment” or “Vader’s Fist” on hand.

“I invite everyone to travel with the Symphony into outer space,” said the symphony’s conductor, Eckart Preu. “This program is just the right combination of fun and classics for listening on a beautiful summer’s night out-of-doors. Anyone who has seen ‘Star Wars’ will recognize some of the music, while classical music fans can look forward to music from Holst’s ‘The Planets.’”

“The Symphony loves that the audience in Columbus Park is always ready to have some serious fun,” Preu added.

Audience members are also invited to bring a picnic to enjoy on the grass or to make reservations at one of the many restaurants surrounding Columbus Park.

The park is located at Main Street and West Park Place in downtown Stamford.

All listeners can also enter to win a Stamford Symphony prize package.

Upcoming performances of the free “Pops in the Park” music series include appearances by singer Barbara Cook on July 23 and Bowzer’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Party on July 30.

For further information, contact the Stamford Symphony at 203-325-1407 ext. 14 or the Stamford Downtown Special Services District at 203-348-5285. More information can also be found at www.stamford-downtown.com.

Source

Connecticut Garrison In the News

The Connecticut Garrison just made the news:

‘Invasion from Outer Space’ in Danbury
Dress as your favorite ‘Star Wars’ character for pops concert Saturday on CityCenter Green
News-Times Staff
Article Last Updated: 06/20/2008 02:09:55 AM EDT

Storm Troopers from “Star Wars” will do battle as the Danbury Symphony Orchestra…

DANBURY ­– Saturday the CityCenter Green will be invaded by “Star Wars” Storm Troopers. Have no fear, though ­– this invasion is just for fun.

The Storm Troopers’ appearance, plus a great family-friendly concert featuring the Danbury Symphony Orchestra, kicks off CityCenter Danbury’s Summer Music Festival.

Everything gets started at 7:30 p.m. The Storm Troopers will do battle as the Danbury Symphony, directed by Ariel Rudiakov, performs a medley from “Star Wars” by John Williams. The DSO will also perform other selections including 2001: A Space Odyssey; “Fanfare for the Common Man,” by Copland; “William Tell Overture,” by Rossini; “Superman” by John Williams; and much more.

“Most of the music is from the movies, but there is a segment that we’re dedicating to the armed forces,” said Rudiakov. He also joked, “The music director may be fighting Darth Vador.”

Everyone is invited to come dressed as “Star Wars” characters. At the end of the concert, which is free, parents may take pictures of their children with the Storm Troopers.

The Storm Troopers are from the Connecticut Garrison of the 501st Legion of Storm Troopers, a volunteer organization that appears in “Star Wars” costumes at various charity events. Charles Corrente, a founding member of the Connecticut group, organized the troopers for Saturday’s show. He and other members, wearing impressive, homemade trooper costumes, are receiving a small donation for their appearance, which
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they will give back to the Danbury community.

“The music is fantastic and the kids love us,” Corrente said. “And the adults do, too.”

Saturday’s event will conclude with an outdoor laser light show presented by CityCenter.

The Danbury Symphony Orchestra has been the premier orchestra in Danbury since 1935. Its mission is to provide opportunities for area residents to perform great music and present concerts of high quality to the public.

Rudiakov said over 800 people attended last year’s kickoff concert, and he’s confident this year’s event will be just as successful.

While the fun begins at 7:30 p.m. on Danbury’s CityCenter Green on Ives Street, early arrival is suggested. Bring your lawn chairs and a picnic supper if you wish.

Lawn chairs are available for rent; ample parking is available at the Patriot Garage; downtown restaurants will provide take-out meals; and refreshments will be available for purchase.

In the event of bad weather, the rain location is at Danbury High School. The decision to relocate will be made by 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Source: http://www.newstimes.com/ci_9643377?source=most_emailed